Fraser River

Named for explorer Simon Fraser, The Fraser River is named after Simon Fraser, explorer who followed the river from present day Prince George to the mouth where it meets the Pacific Ocean in 1808.

The river was a transportation route and source of food for the Indigenous people of the region long before Fraser travelled its waters. In 1858, gold was discovered on sandbars south of Yale, setting off the Fraser River gold rush.

At 1375 kilometres, the Fraser is the longest river in B.C. The headwaters are in Mt. Robson Provincial Park. The Fraser River was designated as a Canadian Heritage River in 1998.